The various styles of conventional footwear include athletic footwear, sandals, dress shoes, and boots, for example, and are generally formed of two primary elements, an upper and a sole structure. The specific configuration of the upper and sole structure varies significantly depending upon the style of footwear and the intended use for the footwear. Although conventional articles of footwear vary greatly with respect to the configuration of the upper and the sole structure, a common feature of most conventional articles of footwear is that the sole structure is permanently attached to each other via cements or adhesives.